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Former SKF Bearing executives Gustav Larson and Assar Gabrielsson saw an opportunity to build cars in Sweden after WWI, and approached their former employer about using an underutilized factory. SKF liked the idea, and backed the pair for years, even allowing them to use a trademarked name, Volvo (Latin for “I roll”) for the new […]

The Espace debuted in 1984, the same year as the Dodge Caravan. Both were pioneers in the Multi-Purpose Vehicle market. Designs for the Espace had been floating around Chrysler (UK) and SIMCA (France) for nearly a decade, eventually landing at Matra, who finalized the design and manufactured them for Renault. The forward-slanting headlights and orange

The Citroën Visa, conceived in the early 1970s as Project Y2, was envisioned as a replacement for the Ami 8. Initially a joint venture with Fiat, Citroën was forced to redesign the car after its acquisition by Peugeot in 1976. The Peugeot 104 floorpan and engine, along with Citroën bodywork, “express the harmony of approach

Developed with the intent to offer a commercial vehicle with as low cost as possible, Tatra introduced the three-wheeled T-49 in 1930. There were two options available: a one-person freight version (seen below) and this two-seater personal transport model before you. T-49s retained the backbone chassis, with the vertical-mounted engine (in the passenger cars) attached

French inventor Charles Mochet 1880- 1934 had a passion for anything that rolled or flew while transporting people. When Georges, Mochet’s then 9-year-old son, repeatedly asked for a bicycle in 1923, his mother said no for fear he would injure himself. To please his son, Mochet built a lightweight recumbent quadricycle with reciprocating pedals. It

TVE released its first production model in 1972 with the three-wheeled Citadine electric car. The Citadine’s exterior design was inspired by earlier “bubble cars’ like BMW’s Isetta, although it’s front-opening door was hinged at the top. Like the Isetta, this was intended to ease entry and exit from the vehicle directly onto the curb. The

Hans Glas and his son Andreas began producing scooters in their agricultural repair shop in Germany shortly after World War II. Their first product, the Goggo scooter, named for Hans’ youngest son, was an instant success as it met a demand for low-cost vehicles in the economically depressed country. This success helped pave the way

TVR’s tumultuous history began in 1947, and continues to this day, albeit after many management, ownership, and location changes. Founder TreVoR Wilkinson started TVR in Beverley Grove, Blackpool, building sports cars based on Alvis chassis. Like Lotus, TVR specialized in fiberglass body-on-frame sports cars using many off-the-shelf components from other manufacturers; unlike Lotus, TVR never